The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-27
POISON IN SOAP.
Authorizations in All Sorts of Household Ar
ticles-What Investigation Shows.

Authorizations in All Sorts of Household Ar
ticles-What Investigation Shows.
Philadelphia Record.
The case of the Camden washwoman who is
suffering from blood-poisoning through using
bad soap has developed symptoms of erysipelas,
and uncertainty exists as to the outcome Re-
Gently she purchased quantity of cheap soap
from retail dealer in Camden. and used it
while suffering from the left hand
Soon afterward her body covered with
sores. and she is now confined to her home
President Amering of the Society of the Pre-
ventation of Food AduIteration, investigated the
matter and found that the soap purchased
from Philadelphia wholesale house. He
brought the womans case to the attention of the
proprietors. They expressed ignorance of the
impure nature of the article. destroyed the stock
they had on hand and notified the manufactur-
of the stuff, who are established in Brooklyn,
n. Y Not only this, they visited the sick wom-
an and made arrangements to have her cared for.
The Society for the Prevention of Food Adult
teration is pushing It's Investigations into the
most common methods of adulteration. The
results thus far obtained would seem to indicate
that with but very few exceptions every manu-
featured article that enters into domestic food
consumption is more or less adulterated Dur
ing the week ended Saturday President
Amerling had secured the affidavits of twenty
six bakers, confectioners and noodle-makers.
who, under oath, say that they have been using
chrome yellow continuously for varying periods.
In over two dozen samples of ice anai~zed
not one was found pure or composed of the in
gradients the consumers supposed they were
purchasing. White glue. gelatine and poisonous
colorng matter were freely used
A report just prepared by four chemists
ployed by the society deals largely with the
composition of articles entering into the con-
sumption of every household. such as chocolate.
Coffee coffee essence, spices. mustard and
pickles. and shows that in many cases the stuff
is a complete imitation, and has nothing in it of
the essential element for which it was pur-
chased.
With some difficulty President Amerlng has
become possessed of literature which unblush-
ingly advertises poisonous adulterants for the
use of bakers and confectioners. One specimen
is the printed price-list of an importing and
manufacturing drug house. wholesale dealers in
bakers, confectoners' and bottlers' supplies,
Duane street, New York. In it is advertised, for
the use of the trade, acetic citric saycilic, sui
phuric and tartaric acids almond paste, (which
President Amerling states is almost entirely
composed of prussic acidl, alum. bicarbonate of
ammonia, borax. butter" for bakers and
feclioners, cream tarter. anline carmine and
cochineal for colorng chrome yellow for lemon
orange, raspberry, sarsaparlla sugar, turmeric
and ultramarIne blue tints. camphor and will
low charcoal. The same house advertlses a sim
liar list in Philadelphia journal devoted TO the
confectionery trade. Another firm, located on
Greenwich street. New York, advertises analine
crystals carmine, strawberry and chrome yell
low colorng matter for saltwater, jellies and
canned goods.